The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-04-01
IN EXTREME PERIL.

The Steamship Scotia, with Eleven Hun
dred Passengers On board, Aground in a
Heavy Sea-Futile Efforts at Rescue-A
Venturesome Passenger-AssuraD noes OF
Safety.
FIRE ISLAND, N. Y. March 25.-The
steamship Scotia, of the Fabre line, that
plies between New York and the Mediter.
ranean, went ashore at Blue Point sta
tiOn, fifteen miles east of Fire Island
lighthouse, during the terrific gale this
morning. She took the beach with her
head on, but finally worked around 10
broadside on in the frightfully high sea
that was running.
An east-nOrtheast hurricane was blow
ing at velocity of seventy miles an hour,
and as soon as the vessels beam
caught in the quicksands, the sea
was cast in all directions about her by the
violent hurricane. The waves made
clean breach over her deck, and when the
vessel was discovered by the hfe-saving
crew, her two masts had been swept from
their stepping by the angry seas.
The vessel, when she departed from
Marseilles on February 20, had on board
several hundred passengers. These for
the most part were Italian emigrants
bound for this country to settle in the
West.
At Naples, where she called a few days
after, there embarked nearly eight hun
sister ship, the Burgundia, which was
previously sunk in that harbor after col.
lisiOn with the Italian man-of-war Italia.
These passengers swelled the list to near
ly eleven hundred. A few others were
taken on at Gibralter, which point she
left on February 81.
The vessel experienced unusually severe
weather on the passage across, and much
anxiety was felt for the passengers on
the land the majority of the passengers
were resting With the first shock several
hundred of them rushed on deck, and a
panic ensucd. The officers and crew were
powerless.
When the waters began breaking over
the decks the women shrieke1 and fell on
their knees imploring help, while the
children clung to their garments, crying
and yelling. The anguish of the women
in trying to protect the little ones from
the spray was pitifuI to behold. The car
rying away of the masts, added to the ter
ror of the passengers and they clutched
one another as though they expected to be
next TO be swept away.
The vessel gradually settled in the loose
sand and at ten o'clock, when she was
first seen by the coast guard, there was
not more than half dozen feet of her
free board left, Every sea makes clean
breach over her decks carrying every
thing movable overheard.
When first discovered the vessel was in
the midst of a very high sea, which was
sweeping her fore and aft. The high
nOrtheasterly wind which prevailed pre-
vented the life-saYers from making any
attempts at rescue. They tried several
times, however to fire line by means Of
a mortar on shore, but at each attempt
the aim was too low, and the line fell
wide of the mark. When they finally
succeeded in getting line to the vessel,
it was of little or no use, owing to the
heavy sea.
A great crowd of people are assem- bled
on the beach, aud are endeavOring by
every means in their power to assist the
life-saving crew. 1t is believed that sew
eral passengers have been swept over
board by the waves.
The Scotia is under the French flag and
halls from Marseilles. She was built at
Leith, Scotland, November, 1881, and is
therefore comparatively new. She is
brig-rigged, and registered 2,493 gross
tons There is but little hope of saving
the vessel. Her agents in this city, Jas.
W. Elwell & Co, South street, have sent
assistance to the vessel The Scotia, with
her cargo, IS valued at from $500 900 to
S75IOOJ
There are about FIVE hundred women
among the passengers.
The steamers Merritt and Rescue and
the tug Hagerty, with two barges, were
sent TO the Scotia's assistance by the
Coast Wrecking Company. They will ar
rive at the scene of the wreck some time
tonight. The latest dispatches received
from Blue Point, l. L, say that the ship is
now lying easy.
vENTUREsoME PASSENGER GETS SAFELY
ASHORE.
NEW York. March 25-One steerage
passenger named George Farina was
taken off by the life-saving crew He
jumped from the deck to the boat which
had been launched before any one could
prevent him. FarIna was brought ashore
and left for New York. He says the
Scotia experienced terrific storms for over
a week, tossing and laboring greatly.
Many passengers had limbs broken and
were otherwise injured by being thrown
about the steerage. Yesterday the ma
chinery gave out and the wind and sea
was so high that the captain decided to
run ashore.
LATER-THE PASSENGERS ALL SAFE.
NEW York, March 25-A dispatch just
received by the passenger agent here
from Blue Point, L. L, says that the pas
sengers are all safe and we'll and will be
brought to this city tomorrow. Nothing
has been ascertained as to the cause of
the grounding of the vessel; but it is now
believed that having become badly dam
aged by the terrible weather encountered
the captain beached her to save the pas
sengers. Captain Rufat is regarded as
thoroughly reliable man.
Murdered by a Jealous Husband.
PARKERsBURG, W. Va, March c6.-Frank
Grayman, a young man of Lawrence
County, O., was visiting at Capertow n,